Focus on airport records in probe against arrested DSP Davinder

AS PER INITIAL PROBE, SINGH, WHO WAS A PART OF SRINAGAR AIRPORT’S ANTI-HIJACK UNIT, ALLEGEDLY PASSED ON “CRITICAL INFORMATION” TO TERROR GROUPS

NEWDELHI: Investigators probing Jammu and Kashmir Police officer Davinder Singh’s alleged militant links have widened their investigations and were examining records at the Srinagar airport, where he was posted, to see whether he had helped any militants and overground workers access the high-security airport, an official said on condition of anonymity.

Singh was arrested last week while on his way to Jammu along with a wanted Hizbul Mujahideen militant, Naveed Babu, and his two accomplices. “CCTV footage at the airport is being examined after investigations indicate that he had transported terrorists out of the Valley earlier as well,” the official said.

According to the initial probe in the case, Singh, who was a part of Srinagar airport’s anti-hijack unit, allegedly passed on “critical information” to terror groups. He was earlier a part of the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) . “He had access to sensitive information and had passed it on to terrorists for money, our investigations indicate,” a second official said on condition of anonymity.

The officials cited the preliminary investigation and added Babu’s mother and one of his brothers live in Chandigarh and that Singh was asked to ensure the militants accompanying him crossed the Jawahar Tunnel, which connects Kashmir Valley with to the rest of India, safely. “We are primarily looking whether Naveed was trying to move out of the Valley to carry out a terror attack elsewhere in the country or whether he was trying to move out to ensure his safety,” the second official said.

HT on Tuesday reported the Jammu and Kashmir Police will also investigate Singh’s links with 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, if required. Guru was convicted in the 2001 Parliament attack case and was executed on February 3, 2013. In a letter to his lawyer, Guru had alleged that he had transported one of the terrorists killed in the assault to Delhi on the instructions of Singh, who was then posted with the SOG.

Security agencies like the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing, India’s external intelligence agency, have so far questioned Singh. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to take over the case. “The NIA will take over the investigations after the preliminary investigations are over,” a third official said on condition of anonymity.

PTI quoted Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbag Singh as saying the force has recommended Singh’s dismissal.